Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Vaccination Boosts Neutralizing Activity Against Seasonal Human Coronaviruses.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Most of the millions of people that are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, have previously been infected by related circulating human coronaviruses (hCoVs) causing common colds and will experience further encounters with these viruses in the future. Whether or not COVID-19 vaccinations impact neutralization of seasonal coronaviruses is largely unknown. METHODS We analyzed the capacity of sera derived from 24 individuals before and after heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 BNT162b2 prime-boost vaccination to neutralize genuine OC43, NL63 and 229E hCoVs, as well as viral pseudoparticles carrying the SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, hCoV-OC43, -NL63 and -229E spike proteins. Genuine hCoVs or spike containing pseudovirions were incubated with different concentrations of sera and neutralization efficiencies were determined by measuring viral RNA yields, intracellular viral nucleocapsid expression, or reporter gene expression in Huh-7 cells. RESULTS All individuals showed strong preexisting immunity against hCoV-OC43. Neutralization of hCoV-NL63 was more variable and all sera showed only modest inhibitory activity against genuine hCoV-229E. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination resulted in efficient cross-neutralization of SARS-CoV-1 but not of MERS-CoV. On average, vaccination significantly increased the neutralizing activity against genuine hCoV-OC43, -NL63 and -229E. CONCLUSIONS Heterologous COVID-19 vaccination may confer some cross-protection against endemic seasonal coronaviruses.